UNFPA Strengthens the Clinical Response to Rape in Iraq

Health care for sexual violence survivors is one of the most critical and life-saving interventions. In order to prevent and mitigate possible health consequences, rape survivors must have access to quality clinical care, including supportive counselling, immediately after the incident. Yet, in Iraq, the services required to meet the needs of sexual violence survivors are limited and require improvement.

To strengthen the clinical response to rape, UNFPA conducted a four-day training of trainers’ workshop on Clinical Management of Rape from 6 to 9 May attracting 25 social and health workers, forensic experts, investigators, and Gender-Based Violence specialists from NGOs and UN Agencies in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

During the sessions, the experts familiarized themselves with the guidelines and protocols on clinical services for sexual violence survivors including procedures for providing post-rape care and treatment, performing physical examinations, collecting forensic evidence as well as treatment and individual follow-up.

“The training is a critical step to creating an enabling environment for the provision of and access to safe, quality, confidential and comprehensive survivor-centred clinical management of rape services for vulnerable women, men, girls and boys in Iraq,” says Mr Lionel Laforgue, UNFPA Iraq’s Humanitarian Programme Coordinator for Gender-Based Violence.

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UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, delivers a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.